The Mac's always been a strong platform for design applications, but it's now also the obvious choice for web developers.
A built-in Apache server and the ability to run Mac OS X and Windows browsers simultaneously (the latter via virtual machines) takes you part of the way, but high-quality software products for development really make the Mac stand out in this space.
If you're new to the platform or fancy some shiny new tools for working on websites, our list below details the best you can buy. Note that if you're more of a beginner, you're also covered on the Mac.
1. Coda, $99 (£63) $85 (£54) upgrade from Transmit
Panic's answer to anyone sick of cluttered workflow, Coda is a single-window web development environment, bundling a text editor, file-transfer client, SVN, CSS editing, Terminal and reference material. Plug-ins fill gaps and extend functionality, and the environment is flexible and smart, sure to suit most hand-coders.
2. BBEdit, $125 (£79)
This long-time hardcore text editor has an interface that's decidedly long in the tooth, but it nonetheless remains a handy tool to have around. BBEdit's find-and-replace is second-to-none, and its code-folding and flexible keyboard shortcut assignment make it a faster environment for marking up documents than Coda. If you can afford it, buy both.
3. CSSEdit, €30 (£28)
You might wonder why you should grab a standalone CSS editor, but CSSEdit's live-preview function pays for itself quickly. Use the app to download a site's CSS and edit locally; a live preview then shows how changes affect the live website. First-rate editing, styles management and a site x-ray inspector add further value.
4. Enkoder (Free)
Spam's a major problem for anyone who lists an email address online. Hivelogic's Enkoder script is one of the most powerful of its kind, encrypting your address in near bullet-proof fashion. This standalone app for the Mac runs locally and saves previously encoded addresses.
5. xScope, $27 (£17)
Iconfactory's xScope bridges design and development, providing a set of on-screen tools for measuring, aligning and inspecting layouts, such as rulers and a loupe. The Dimensions tool is the star, though, intelligently measuring distances between on-screen objects, such as boxes within a design.
6. Transmit, $30 (£19)
Although plenty of free FTP clients exist for the Mac, this Apple Design Award winner has a great UI and is robust enough to justify the shareware fee. Transmit also supports S3, WebDAV and SFTP.
7. VirtualHostX, $19 (£12)
Rather than fiddling around with config files, use VirtualHostX to configure your Mac's web server settings and host multiple sites using easy to remember custom domains. Virtual hosts can be shared with other local network users, and VirtualHostX also plays nice with MAMP.
8. MAMP, Free and £39 for Pro version
MAMP packs Apache, MySQL and PHP into a self-contained directory that you can bung anywhere on your Mac and use as a testing environment without touching existing Apache installations. The Pro version adds further features for advanced users.
9. VMware Fusion, $80 (£51)
There's a scrap going on for virtual machine supremacy on the Mac, and Fusion currently betters Parallels Desktop and VirtualBox. Robustness, usability and strong performance ensure Fusion's an ideal choice for running Windows in a window on your Mac.
10. On The Job, $40, (£25)
If you're a pro, you need to keep an eye on development costs and invoicing, and so this final choice is the Mac's best time-tracker. On The Job makes it painless to define clients and jobs, keep track of tasks, and, finally, to invoice. Timers can be triggered from the menu bar as well as the app itself.
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Your comments (8) Click to add a new comment
nakkinyan
October 26th
8. Thanks for the list, it is good to hear about what works for others. I had to give up Windows years ago because I couldn't stand it any more, since then I have been looking for good software to do my work with.
I may have to try Coda again. I personally love TacoHTML Edit because of it's superior PHP handling in preview. though that was a few point versions back and both editors have made advancements.
BBEdit and CSSedit are great choices, I don't personally use BBEdit but again I may have to give it another shot.
I prefer making online forms for emailing my customers agree that if it isn't spam they will be getting a response showing their email any way, they seem to like it so far.
I have never heard of xscope before i will have to look into it.
The complainers need to learn that we work with what we like not with what is cheapest. Yes Macs cost more up front but I abuse my Mac and still have no issues even though the same abuse killed 98 and XP. Also, I am not paying for antivirus software and most PCs don't have as much ram standard as your base iMac. All I am saying is look at the lifetime of your computer and add all the costs involved.
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craiggrannell
October 14th
7. Thanks for playing, nnth, but far from not doing any research before writing, I've been designing websites since 1997 and in a professional capacity for a decade. I've used and reviewed more apps than I care to count on Mac, Mac OS X and various flavours of Windows; and I even remember using the very first version of Dreamweaver, along with the likes of CyberStudio, PageMill, NoteTab and a slew of others. As for TopStyle vs. CSSEdit, I've used both and I prefer CSSEdit. But then seeing as TopStyle's not available for Mac and this was an article specifically about Mac tools, I'm not sure what your point was anyway.
Regarding people moaning about price, if you bought every app on this list (which you wouldn't need to, since there's some overlap), the grand total would be £333, which is hardly breaking the bank software-wise if you're doing web design as your professional career, and not just as a hobby in the evenings.
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sabrina168
October 14th
6. I appreciate the efforts of this author. The suggestions are good but they are quite expensive. I think there are cheaper alternatives for <a href="http://www.phoutsource.com">web development</a>.
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nnth
October 13th
5. This article is a joke and I'm sure that the author didn't research before writing it. Did u mean a "Pro" developer will only use overpriced softwares that is very limited in usability!
I've got a Coda's liscense and it's a big waste! Notepad++ or PSPad on Windows are much more better and free.
No CSS Editors on Mac could compare to TopStyle Pro on Windows. If you used it before, u will understand what I say!
How can a web developer work without SVN? I've tried most of SVN Clients on Mac (Cornerstone, Versions, SvnX...) but none of them is usable than TortoiseSVN (another freebie) on Windows.
My solution currently: running those Windows apps through Parralels Destop's coherence view. Coding, CSS edit, managing SVN are running smoothly and I have all the best tools in hand.
We are happy to pay for good softwares but I have a feeling that most Mac softwares are overpriced comparing to their usability and productivity. Researching carefully before you decide to purchased an app!
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a.n.other
October 13th
4. @loldongs9000
Calling BBEdit a "simple text editor" is a stretch. That'd be like knocking TextPad++, which by the way also lists Search as a feature. There are a multitude of free editors for OSX (Smultron, MacVim) and a range of paid ones (Coda, TextMate, BB). People pay for the latter apps because they make them more productive, not for fun.
@meeter
You'd be surprised how many of the big shops operate how you describe; I tend to look at these tools as ones used by design-savvy users more than tech-savvy users.
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a.n.other
October 13th
3. I've been working in web development for years and everything got better when I switch to OSX.
I miss my favorite apps in this list:
- for FTP Cyberduck: www.cyberduck.ch (it's free)
- for development: eclipse or dreamweaver
- for time traking: www.abuky.com (it's free)
Almost always you can find a free software. You just have to look a little.
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